PUBLISHED FROM LUCKNOW
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Editorial: Ending the plight PM highlights BJP’s vision in S.India, targets political rivals Govt mulling changes in SARFAESI and DRT laws
SADHGURU
‘OVERWHELMED’
GETTING PM MODI'S
RECOVERY WISH AFTER
BRAIN SURGERY
NEW DELHI: Prime Minister
Narendra Modi on Wednes-
day spoke to spiritual guru
Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev,
who underwent emergency
brain surgery on March 17,
and wished him a speedy
recovery and good health,
the PM said in a post on X,
formerly known as Twitter.
Reacting to this, the 66-year-
old spiritual leader said he is
“overwhelmed” by the PM's
concern. “Beloved Pradhan
Mantriji, I should not be a
Concern to you. You have
a Nation to conduct. Over-
whelmed by your concern,
on my way to recovery. Dha-
nyavad (Thank you),” Sadh-
guru, who is currently in the
hospital, wrote on X. The
spiritual leader and found-
er of the Isha Foundation
underwent brain surgery at
the Apollo Hospital in Del-
hi after a “life-threatening”
swelling and bleeding in his
brain. In a video posted by
the Isha Foundation, Dr Vin-
it Suri - a senior consultant
neurologist at Apollo Hos-
pital, who examined Sadh-
guru, said that the spiritual
leader had been suffering
from severe headaches for
the last four weeks.
INDIA, BHUTAN DECIDE
TO PUT OFF PM MODI’S
THIMPU VISIT OVER
BAD WEATHER
NEW DELHI:India and Bhu-
tan decided on Wednesday
to postpone a state visit by
Prime Minister Narendra
Modi to Thimphu this week
because of bad weather.
Modi was scheduled to trav-
el to Bhutan during March
21-22 for what was expect-
ed to be his last foreign visit
before the upcoming general
election. “Due to ongoing in-
clement weather conditions
over Paro airport, it has been
mutually decided to post-
pone the state visit of Prime
Minister to Bhutan on 21-22
March 2024,” the external af-
fairs ministry said in a brief
statement on Wednesday.
SC summons Ramdev and Patanjali MD
OUR CORRESPONDENT
NEW DELHI: The Supreme
Court has ordered yoga
guru Ramdev and Patanjali
Ayurved’s Managing Direc-
tor, Acharya Balkrishna, to
appear in person due to the
company’s non-compliance
with a notice regarding con-
tempt proceedings.
The proceedings are re-
lated to the advertisements
of Patanjali’s products and
their claimed medicinal
benefits.
The court deemed it
necessary to issue a show
cause notice to Ramdev,
as the advertisements by
Patanjali contradicted the
commitment made to the
court on November 21,
2023, and appeared to be
endorsed by him.
Justices Hima Kohli and
Ahsanuddin Amanullah
observed that Patanjali
Ayurved, a herbal products
company co-founded by
Ramdev, and Balkrishna
had not responded to earli-
er notices asking why con-
ucknow news
VOL. 18 | ISSUE NO: 201 | Thursday, 21 March 2024 | DAILY MORNING | Page 4 | Price Rs 1.00
PM reacts to 'Aurangzeb' HC hands life term to
ex-cop Pradeep Sharma
jibe: 'Got 104th abuse today'
OUR CORRESPONDENT
NEW DELHI: Prime Minister
Narendra Modi on Wednes-
day said as the election
bugle has been sounded,
the opposition hurled the
104th abuse on him calling
him Aurangzeb and call-
ing for PM's 'beheading'. "I
have been called Aurang-
zeb; there has been a call to
'behead' me.
Amid all these positive,
and negative comments,
the world will see its big-
gest election," Narendra
Modi said at News18 Rising
Bharat summit.
Despite all these abus-
es, people have made up
their minds to elect the
Modi government for the
third term, the PM said
adding that the roadmap
of the new government has
ISIS India head among two arrested in
Assam, to be handed over to NIA: Police
OUR CORRESPONDENT
NEW DELHI: Two top-rung
leaders of ISIS in India plan-
ning sabotage activities were
arrested near the internation-
al border after they crossed
over from Bangladesh, As-
sam Police said on Wednes-
day.
Acting on intelligence re-
ceived from sister agencies,
an STF team was deployed
to the Dhubri sector to inter-
cept the suspects, who were
also wanted by the National
Investigation Agency (NIA),
according to the police.
On Tuesday evening, the
STF team launched a man-
hunt in the international bor-
der area and intercepted two
suspects in the early hours of
Wednesday at the Dharmas-
ala area of Dhubri after they
tempt proceedings should
not be initiated against
them for apparently violat-
ing the court’s undertaking.
The court has instructed
them to appear personally
at the next hearing.
It has also issued a notice
to Ramdev to show cause
why he should not face con-
tempt of court proceedings,
as the court believes he has
violated sections 3 and 4 of
the Drugs and Magic Rem-
edies (Objectionable Adver-
tisements) Act.
These sections pertain to
the prohibition of certain
drug advertisements and
misleading drug-related
advertisements. Last year,
already been laid."Today,
when the poor bless me, the
opposition abuses me and
the poor both but it does not
make any difference. The
country has already made
up its mind – Phir ek baar
Modi sarkar," PM Modi said.
Uddhav Sena leader San-
jay Raut on Wednesday said
Aurangzeb was born at a
place in Gujarat near Naren-
dra Modi's village. "Shivaji
had crossed the internation-
al border, police added.
“Both of them were appre-
hended and brought to STF
office at Guwahati,” Assam
Police Chief Public Relations
Officer Pranabjyoti Goswami
said in a statement.
The arrested ISIS cad-
res have been identified as
Harish Ajmal Farooqi alias
Harish Ajmal Farukhi and
on November 21, the com-
pany’s counsel assured the
court that there would be
no future violations of any
laws, particularly those re-
lated to the advertising or
branding of its products.
They also promised not to
release any casual state-
ments claiming medicinal
efficacy or against any sys-
tem of medicine to the me-
dia.
The court is currently
hearing a plea from the In-
dian Medical Association
(IMA) alleging that Ram-
dev has been running a
smear campaign against
the Covid vaccination drive
and modern medicine. The
was born in Maharashtra
and Aurangzeb was born in
Gujarat, near to Narendra
Modi's village. That's why
Aurangzeb mindset is at-
tacking us (Maharashtra),"
Sanjay Raut said in a veiled
jibe.
A video surfaced on so-
cial media as BJP leaders
shared it calling it a meeting
of the INDIA block where
the leaders gave a call 'to
Anurag Singh alias Rehan.
Police said that Farooqi is
a resident of Uttarakhand's
Dehradun while Anurag
Singh is a resident of Hary-
ana's Panipat.
Anurag Singh got convert-
ed to Islam while his wife
is a Bangladeshi national,
Goswami added.
Both individuals are de-
scribed as highly indoctrinat-
court questioned why Pa-
tanjali and Balkrishna had
not responded to the notice
issued in the contempt pro-
ceedings.
Senior advocate Mukul
Rohatgi, representing Pa-
tanjali and Balkrishna, stat-
ed that he had discussed
the matter with his client.
“It is not enough for us. We
had taken it very seriously.
Not filing it means there
will be orders and conse-
quences will follow,” the
bench told Rohatgi.
“We don’t want to be
sounding as if we are target-
ing him but on the same day
we passed an order here
and at 9:30 p.m. it was com-
ing on Aajtak. Every time
you show the court that look
here I am ahead of you. How
do you explain this? You are
tempting us.
As a senior counsel I am
telling you we are not going
to be lacking whatever mes-
sage goes, whatever it takes
we are not bothered,” Jus-
tice Amanullah said.
The court also ordered Pa-
behead Modi'.
Narendra Modi reacted
to both controversial com-
ments and dismissed them
as he elaborated on his
'nation first' approach to
work. "Earlier it was asked
why ED and CBI did not act
against the powerful. Now
the powerful, corrupt people
are asking why agencies are
acting against them," PM
Modi said.
"Our govt is employing
technology to catch the
corrupt, and therefore it's
easier to nab them. Today,
it's becoming hard to hide
money trails, and therefore,
stashs of money are being
found now from beds and
walls. A bundle of notes
are being unearthed from a
Congress MP's home, from
Trinamool leaders' home…
and hence they are rattled.
ed and motivated leaders/
members of ISIS in India,
involved in various activities
including recruitment, terror
funding, and planning terror
acts using improvised explo-
sive devices (IEDs).
"They had furthered
the cause of ISIS in India
through conspiracies to car-
ry out recruitment, terror
funding and terror acts by
means of IEDs at several
places across India," the po-
lice official said.
According to the STF, sev-
eral cases were registered
against these two by Nation-
al Investigation Agency (NIA),
New Delhi and Anti Terrorist
Squad (ATS), Lucknow. The
STF Assam has announced
its intention to hand over the
accused to NIA for further le-
gal proceedings.
tanjali and Balkrishna to file
their responses by Wednes-
day. The court also criticised
the Centre as its affidavit,
filed only on Monday eve-
ning, was not on record.
The court granted the Cen-
tre, represented by Addition-
al Solicitor General (ASG) K
M Nataraj, permission to
withdraw its earlier addition-
al affidavit and gave it a fi-
nal two-week opportunity to
file a fresh affidavit detailing
the steps it has taken in ac-
cordance with the Novem-
ber 21, 2023 order.
As the court concluded
the order, Rohatgi stated
that Ramdev holds no posi-
tion in Patanjali Ayurved and
that no new advertisement
was issued. He argued that
the advertisements in ques-
tion were already present at
the last hearing.
The court responded that
it had refrained from issuing
a notice to Ramdev at the
previous hearing and that
the reasons for doing so
now have been indicated in
the order.
OUR CORRESPONDENT
MUMBAI: Former Mumbai
police officer Pradeep Shar-
ma, known for his controver-
sial encounters, faced a ma-
jor legal setback on Tuesday
as the Bombay High Court
handed him a life sentence
for his involvement in the
fake encounter of Ramna-
rayan Gupta in 2006, an al-
leged associate of gangster
Chhota Rajan.
This ruling starkly con-
trasts with the previous ver-
dict of the sessions court,
which had acquitted Shar-
ma. Justices Revati Mohite
Dere and Gauri Godse of
the division bench termed
the lower court’s decision
as “perverse and unsustain-
able”, pointing out major
flaws in the judgement.
The court stated that the
trial court had ignored the
substantial evidence against
Sharma, which conclusive-
ly proved his involvement
in the case. On November
11, 2006, a police team
apprehended Ramnarayan
Gupta, also known as Lak-
khan Bhaiya, from Vashi in
Navi Mumbai, along with his
friend Anil Bheda. Later that
evening, they were killed in
a staged encounter near
Versova in western Mumbai.
The court said Shar-
ma was convicted on all
charges, including criminal
conspiracy, murder, kidnap-
ping and wrongful confine-
DELHI HAS 19,000 INMATES IN ALL 3 JAILS
Tihar gets 15 new phone
jammers to block 4G signals
OUR CORRESPONDENT
NEW DELHI: Asia’s largest
prison Tihar is under the
process of installing 15 jam-
mers at six new locations to
prevent the inmates from
using mobile phones from
inside the jail, officials on
Tuesday said.
A mobile phone jammer
is a device that blocks the
transmission of signals be-
tween the phones and base
towers. The officials said the
project, which costs about
Rs 11.5 crore, will help in
jamming the signals of all
kinds of phones having 2G,
3G and 4G networks in the
jail.
A senior Tihar Jail official
said these 15 jammers will
be the addition to three cur-
rently installed Towers of
Harmonious Call Blocking
(THCB) systems, a kind of
technology that discontinue
the call as soon it begins.
“15 new static towers of
jammers, which works in
noise technology, will com-
pletely prohibit the inmates
from using phones in the
prisons,” the officer said.
The work of installation
of these towers began two
‘13 RUSSIAN MINERS TRAPPED IN A COLLAPSED GOLD MINE’
MOSCOW: At least 13 miners have been trapped in a collapsed gold mine in far eastern
Russia, regional officials said Tuesday. Part of the mine collapsed in Zeysk district, au-
thorities in the Amur region said. The Emergencies Ministry reported that 13 miners were
trapped, but the regional prosecutor’s office said that up to 15 could remain underground.
R.N.I. Reg. No.
ment, and sentenced to life.
The bench ordered Shar-
ma to surrender to the rel-
evant sessions court within
three weeks. Notably, Shar-
ma’s legal woes are far from
over. He is also implicated in
another case involving the
discovery of gelatin sticks
outside billionaire Mukesh
Ambani’s residence in 2021
and the murder of business-
man Mansukh Hirani.
Sharma has been granted
bail in this case by the Su-
preme Court. The high court
also upheld the life sentenc-
es of 13 other individuals
involved in the case, as or-
dered by the trial court.
This group includes 12 po-
lice officers and one civilian.
Conversely, the high court
reversed the life sentences
of six others, resulting in
their acquittal.
The high court accepted
the prosecution’s charges
of a staged encounter, mur-
der, abduction, and wrong-
ful confinement of the
deceased. Initially, 22 indi-
months ago and is expected
to be completed this month,
the officer added. On being
asked, Tihar Director Gener-
al Sanjay Baniwal confirmed
the development.
Another officer said
these jammers are getting
installed at high security
prisons which houses in
six out of nine jails of Tihar.
Currently, Delhi has 19,000
inmates, against the capac-
ity of 10,000 inmates in all
three jails — Tihar, Mandoli
and Rohini.
The inmates are often
caught using mobile phones
despite multiple level of
checking at the entry points
of Tihar.
The mobile phones are
also often thrown from
outside the boundary walls
of Tihar, the officials said.
In the past few years, the
jailed gangsters making
viduals, including 13 police
officers, were charged in the
case.
In 2013, the sessions
court found 21 of the ac-
cused guilty and sentenced
them to life imprisonment.
However, Sharma was ac-
quitted due to lack of evi-
dence, and two of the con-
victed individuals passed
away in custody. The con-
victed individuals appealed
their sentences in the high
court, while the prosecution
and the deceased victim’s
brother, Ramprasad Gupta,
appealed against Sharma’s
acquittal.
During the proceedings,
special public prosecutor
Rajiv Chavan argued that
the police officers, who were
supposed to enforce the
law, were actually involved
in a premeditated and bru-
tal murder. The prosecution
sought Sharma’s conviction,
asserting that he was the
main instigator and orches-
trator of the entire abduc-
tion and murder operation.
video calls and putting vid-
eos of their cell on social
media are also found to be
happening from inside the
jails. Making threat and ex-
tortion calls were also very
common from inside the
jails, the officials said.
Among them was a
jailed conman Sukesh
Chandrashekhar, who was
caught using the branded
phones with 4G technolo-
gies. “
The present jammers,
which could block 2G and
3G signals, are outdated.
Therefore, the upgradation
of jamming technology and
installation of tower that
could block the 4G signals
was much needed,” the of-
ficer said. He added that to
prevent the use of mobile
phones, the jail administra-
tion keeps conducting raids
and does surprise checks.
2 Lucknow, Thursday, 21 March 2024 Lucknow News (English Daily)

Down the drain

EDITORIAL
Ending the plight
Amrit Kaur was in her 80s when she arrived in Delhi from
Punjab with her son to visit a relative. Her son abandoned her
at the railway station. After a few months, she was moved
to a homeless shelter by police. The staff at the shelter said
initially she was in shock and incoherent. When interviewed EVEN AS INSTITUTIONS AND INDIVIDUALS STRIVE HARD TO SAVE WATER IN BENGALURU, THE USE OF RO
by this researcher, not once did she blame her son for any-
thing. She just repeated: “I was destined to be here.” In anoth- PURIFIERS IS PLAYING THE SPOILER BY WASTING A HUMONGOUS AMOUNT OF WATER
er case, a man confessed to throwing his 64-yearold mother Bengaluru, India’s third
off the terrace of their home as she was ill and a burden. His most populated city, is
mother later died. grappling with an unprec-
Such abandonment and disregard for older women is all edented water crisis. The
too common in a country like India where filial piety is up- ‘garden city of India’ once
held as a virtue. Age compounds the hardships of many older had multiple lakes, thanks
women in a society marked by gender inequality. Older wom- to the visionary Nadapra-
en face additional challenges of financial insecurity, destitu- bhu Kempe Gowda and the
tion and health challenges related to ageing. In a neoliberal successors of his idea to
society, people are valued for their economic contribution. A make a town with artificial
similar logic operates in many Indian families. tanks and lakes.
If an older family member is not earning an income, they In the 1960s, there were
are deemed to be dependents and a ‘burden’. Patriarchal over 280 lakes in the city,
cultural norms relegate women to domestic duties. Many and only a handful of them
women remain unemployed throughout their lives and a ma- exist today. Most were en-
jority do not own assets. This creates economic hardships in croached upon as the city
late life. According to a 2015 study, older women have a di- expanded rapidly since the
minished status in the family because they do not earn even Information Technology (IT)
though they contribute to their children’s families by being boom of the early 1980s.
caregivers for grandchildren. Today, the city’s ground-
However, care work in the family remains highly devalued. water is being exploited
Along with this, the ‘feminisation of ageing’ as evidenced by limitlessly as the Cauvery
the increased life expectancy of women (compared to men) and Arkavathi rivers togeth-
implies that older women will continue to be dependent on er cannot provide enough
others for prolonged periods. Being dependent on kin can ex- water to meet the 2,600
acerbate vulnerabilities. million litres daily (MLD) re-
My research shows that older women could be easy targets quirement of the city and
of coercion and manipulation. In the case of propertied older the Bangalore Water Sup-
women, many experience abuse after transferring property ply and Sewerage Board is
to their adult children. However, struggling to bridge the gap.
many women in the country do Abandonment and The onus is now on the resi-
not own property despite there disregard for older dents to devise ways to use
being laws that grant property women is all too the piped water optimally.
rights to women. Such women common in a country Over the past few days,
are sometimes driven to desti- like India where households in Bengaluru
tution and many are abandoned filial piety is upheld have gone the extra mile to
by family members. Older wom- as a virtue; Against save water. Installation of
en can claim maintenance from the backdrop of rainwater harvesting sys-
family members under existing devaluation of care tems, water rationing with
legal provisions in India. work that most older smart metres that cut off The water purifier market in India is expected to reach a valuation of USD 4.1 billion by the end of 2024
Section 19 of the Hindu Adop- woman are capable of, the water supply beyond a But for every 1 litre of fil- el below 300 ppm. But the relief to Chennai’s scarce se it to clean utensils
U
There is a clear consensus
tions and Maintenance Act, 1956 it becomes pertinent to certain limit, active borewell tered water, an average RO minimum TDS of drinking water resources. The ideal and cooking stains; 4
that water is being wasted,
allows a widow (who does not restore dignity in, and recharging techniques, wa- purifier wastes around 3 li- water should not go below situation should be pota- Use
 it for wash-
yet there’s a lack of
remarry) to claim maintenance accord due value to, ter pressure control through tres of water. This indicates 50 ppm. Drinking water with ble water supplied through ing daily clothes; 4
direction on how to save it
from the legal heirs of the de- women’s labour faucets and bathroom fit- that just 25 per cent of the lower TDS can cause miner- pipes to all households, but Use it for household chores
ceased who share the property tings, among others. water gets cleansed and the al deficiency and high TDS just a fraction of the house- such as moping the floor; 4 ed the use of RO in water pu-
of the deceased. Widows can also claim maintenance under The Resident Welfare As- rest 75 per cent is wasted. causes a range of health holds have those services Use it for cleaning bath-
 rification for TDS less than
Section 125 of the Code of Criminal Procedure from their sociations (RWA) across the RO is a relatively simple complications such as kid- where urban local bodies rooms nd flushing toilets; 4 500 mg / L. Reasons cited
children, unconditionally. city have resorted to aware- process, where pressurised ney failure, cardiovascular (ULB) take up the large- Use it for watering
 were water wastage, deple-
The Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Cit- ness campaigns to limit water is passed through a issues, among others. scale purification task. Puri plants in gardens; 4 tion of groundwater and im-
izens Act, 2007, or MW Act, was formulated especially for wastage of water. To save semipermeable membrane US-based organisation in Odisha is a good exam- Use it to wash vehicles. proper disposal of RO filter
senior citizens’ welfare. Section 4 obligates sons, daughters, exorbitant amounts charged that captures the impurities Transparency Market Re- ple where people can drink Due to high TDS, it is not cartridges.
grandchildren who are not minors and any legal heir of her by water tankers, some res- in the form of dissolved sol- search estimates the water water directly from the tap recommended to use it for There is a clear consensus
property to provide maintenance. This law defines mainte- idents have relocated to ids. purifier market in India will 24/7. bathing. The rejected water that water is being wasted,
nance as food, clothing, shelter and medical treatment. Le- native places and have tak- The water wasted has very reach a valuation of USD 4.1 The ultraviolet, ultrafiltra- needs to be diluted wherev- yet there’s a lack of direction
gal safeguards against abandonment, usurpation of property en work from home. All of high Total Dissolved Solids billion by the end of 2024 tion, carbon filters and tra- er required. Adopting these on how to save it. Using re-
and abuse exist in the MW Act and the Protection of Women these efforts do count, and (TDS) and is hard water, and the RO purifier sector ditional water purification simple techniques will en- jected RO water, along with
from Domestic Violence Act, 2005. all will certainly have the in- which is not recommended holds the highest market systems provide a good al- sure that every household other water-saving and re-
The existing laws, however, do not particularly address the tended outcome of reducing for drinking. The quantity of share. ternative with considerably saves hundreds of litres of charging measures, will en-
discrimination faced by some older women such as child- water wastage. water wasted depends upon Reverse osmosis is an less water wastage. water yearly. sure residents’ active partic-
less, unmarried or trans women. The Protection of Rights of However, one water-guz- the type of RO system used amazing technology, but it is If RO wastewater is cap- Other than households, ipation to mitigate the crisis.
Widows and Single Women and Abolishment of Widowhood zling device installed mostly but even the best efficient indeed very wasteful. Coun- tured and stored, it can be there are about 600 RO Water scarcity is no more a
Practices Bill was introduced in 2022 but nothing came of in and around the kitchen systems have a ratio of 2:1 tries such as Saudi Arabia, used for a variety of other plants in the city; Bruhat regional problem limited to
it. Destigmatising widowhood and singlehood and restoring area of households and of waste water to purified Israel, United Arab Emirates purposes. Bengaluru Mahanagara Pa- Bengaluru or Chennai, it is
dignity to those belonging to sexual minorities is crucial for commercial establishments water. and Australia depend upon Some of the leading like (BBMP) is trying to com- also an issue in Beijing and
empowering older women. is overlooked: the Reverse The Bureau of Indian Stan- using RO to treat seawater companies are providing mercialise them to ensure Cape Town.
While laws undoubtedly safeguard the rights of older Osmosis (RO) water puri- dards (BIS) sets the permis- and supply their citizens. attachments along with their maintenance. The idea is to equally com-
women, it is impractical to conjure a law for every situation fication system. RO water sible limit for TDS in drinking Two desalination plants new RO systems to store On the other hand, the bat the crisis as global citi-
of harm done to older women; rather there is a need to pro- purifiers are undoubtedly water as 500 mg / L and the use large-scale RO oper- the wastewater. Here are National Green Tribunal and zens to avoid having a sim-
actively implement existing laws. As political theorist Wendy the most popular and widely World Health Organization ate in Minjur and Neemili some easy ways to re- the Central Pollution Control ilar situation knocking at our
Brown argues, ‘… rights…serve as a mitigation — but not a used purification system. (WHO) recommends a lev- in Tamil Nadu and provide use the rejected water. 4 Board have strictly prohibit- doorsteps.

IL&FS moves NCLAT, seeks protection

resolution — of subordinating powers.’ Patriarchal ideas that
prevent women from pursuing a life of one’s own choice
must be questioned.
Many women remain engaged in care work throughout
their lives. A woman at a charitable care home in Kolkata
said ‘she found herself’ after relocating to the care home af- The newly appointed board well as getting issued Look coercive action against the “squarely in the teeth” of the
ter her spouse’s death. She was relieved of the care work and of debt-ridden IL&FS has Out Circulars,” it submitted. Applicants and other IL&FS orders passed by NCLAT, but
now she was ‘free.’ Care work must be accorded due impor- moved an urgent applica- “All such coercive actions/ companies.” are the likely result of either
tance in the political discourse. tion before the appellate tri- steps are attempts by the It has also requested the a selective reading of such
Restoring dignity in women’s labour and building a support- bunal NCLAT to restrain 11 Respondent Banks to pres- National Company Law Ap- orders, or an “uncoordinat-
ive environment for women to perform their caring duties of- public sector lenders from surize the IL&FS companies pellate Tribunal (NCLAT) to ed mechanical attempt” at
ten determines their wellbeing in late life. Many women com- initiating proceedings to de- to directly or indirectly meet direct banks “not take any purportedly complying with
bat loneliness. More recreation facilities in the neighbourhood clare its group companies their debt demands, without coercive action against the applicable guidelines issued
can be made available. Ageappropriate occupations can be as “wilful defaulters”. having regard to the fact applicant and other IL&FS by RBI.
considered for women to enhance financial security. In its petition, IL&FS said that the resolution/ satisfac- companies and/ or their The petition further said
Ensuring safety, access to helplines and counselling sup- it is aggrieved by the “bla- tion of debts of all the credi- Directors and/or officers” this is happening despite,
port, access to inexpensive medical care, palliative care, tant violation and disregard” tors of the IL&FS companies during the pendency of the the New Board of IL&FS has
dementia care, affordable permanent housing and financial of previous NCLAT orders is subjudice before this Tri- hearing and final disposal already referred the acts
security through pension schemes are areas where attention by the banks. IL&FS also bunal,” it submitted. of this present application, and actions of the erstwhile
needs to be given. A common concern of many older wom- charged banks of taking IL&FS has prayed to re- before it. management of IL&FS com-
en living in cities, as per my research, has been sourcing es- procedural action under the strain the banks from pur- The banks are - Central panies for investigation.
sentials and recruiting reliable care workers for themselves. garb of the RBI guidelines, suing proceedings against Bank of India, Bank of These “have already been sis in IL&FS, which shook IL&FS against any proceed-
Crimes against older women in cities such as murder, rob- and “harassing the Directors “other IL&FS companies Baroda, Indian Bank, Ca- investigated as well as con- the finance industry. A new ings for the past actions of
bery and assault are often reported especially in metropoli- of the IL&FS companies”. and/or their Directors and/ nara Bank, Punjab Nation- tinue to be investigated by board for IL&FS, which had suspended Directors or any
tan cities like Mumbai, Delhi and Kolkata. Some of the older The banks are “issuing or officers appointed after al Bank, Indian Overseas various Agencies (such as a debt burden of Rs 94,000 of the officers thereof. “The
women interviewed mentioned how they would prefer shift- show cause notices, calling October 2018 by the IL&FS Bank, State Bank of India, SFIO, ED and CBI), including crore, was appointed to take protection granted under
ing to institutional care rather than relying on paid domes- for a personal hearing before New Board.” Bank of India, Jammu & inspection by Respondent charge of the affairs and the aforementioned orders
tic workers and ayahs. This also highlights the need to have the Wilful Defaulter Identifi- Moreover, it has also made Kashmir Bank, IDBI Bank No 12 (RBI) itself of a few NCLAT conceived a frame- is premised on the fact that
more care homes in the country. cation Committee, threaten- the banking sector regulator and Union Bank of India. IL&FS companies since Oc- work for resolution of the the newly appointed Direc-
The state, community, as well as regulated market inter- ing initiation of criminal pro- RBI a party, and requested According to IL&FS, the tober 2018,” it said. crisis-hit group. It had also tors have been appointed m
vention in the above domains, is key to providing a conducive ceedings, including initiating NCLAT to “pass an order di- banks are participating in On October 1, 2018, granted protection to the larger public interest to regu-
environment for older women. ‘Older women’ is not a homog- proceedings as well as and recting Respondent No. 12 the IL&FS Resolution Pro- NCLAT superseded the ex- IL&FS Companies against late the affairs of the IL&FS
enous category. Therefore, identifying unique needs based for declaring IL&FS compa- (RBI) to direct Respondent cess to get their debts ad- isting board of IL&FS on recovery of any further dues companies and to save the
on their context is also crucial to meet the goals of the UN nies and their current Direc- No. 1 to 11 (banks) restrain- dressed and these parallel the recommendation of the and immunity to the new- said companies from finan-
Decade of Healthy Ageing (2021-2030). tors as Wilful Defaulters, as ing them from taking any coercive steps are not only centre after the mega-cri- ly appointed Directors of cial collapse,” it said.
Lucknow News (English Daily)
Flat buyers finally obtain ownership rights after 2 decades
OUR CORRESPONDENT
GREATER NOIDA: Over
1,600 flats buyers from
two residential societies
across Greater Noida are
expressing gratitude to
the Greater Noida Author-
ity as they finally attain
ownership rights over their
homes after nearly two de-
cades of waiting.
This joyous development
follows the initiation of
flat registry camps by the
Greater Noida Authority
within the Senior Citizen
society in sector P-3 and
Migsun Ultimo in sector
CII UP MSME conference highlights
UP's Trillion-Dollar Economy ambitions
OUR CORRESPONDENT
LUCKNOW: The Confedera-
tion of Indian Industry, Uttar
Pradesh organized CII UP
MSME Conference on 20
March 2024 at Gyan Confer-
ence hall, CII Lucknow. The
conference focused on the
indispensable role of MSMEs
in driving Uttar Pradesh's
growth and making it a tril-
lion-dollar economy.
Addressing the session,
Chief Guest, Shri Pranjal
Yadav, IAS, Secretary, De-
partment of MSME & Export
Promotion Government of
Uttar Pradesh stated that the
government of Uttar Pradesh
is committed to fetch invest-
ment in the state and offer
basket of incentives for the
BHEL BAGS 1,600 MW
THERMAL PROJECT
ORDER FROM NTPC
NEW DELHI: State-owned
engineering firm Bharat
Heavy Electricals Ltd
(BHEL) on Tuesday said it
has bagged an order for
setting up 1,600 MW Sin-
grauli Supercritical Thermal
Power Plant (STPP) Stage-
III from NTPC. The plant
will be set up adjacent to
the existing 2,000 MW ther-
mal power station (TPS) at
Singrauli in Sonbhadra dis-
trict of Uttar Pradesh, BHEL
said in a statement. Set up
by BHEL in 1982, Singrauli
TPS was NTPC’s first pow-
er plant in the state. The
machines installed earlier
by BHEL at Singrauli have
been performing exceed-
ingly well since commis-
sioning, it said. According
to the statement, under
International Competitive
Bidding, Bharat Heavy Elec-
tricals Ltd has bagged an
order from NTPC for set-
ting up the 2x800 MW Sin-
grauli Supercritical Thermal
Power Plant Stage-III on
Engineering, Procurement &
Construction basis.
H-1B INITIAL
REGISTRATION PERIOD
TO CLOSE ON MAR 22
WASHINGTON: The ini-
tial registration period for
the H-1B visas, the most
sought-after by Indian IT
professionals, for fiscal
2025 closes on March 22,
a federal agency has said.
The H-1B visa is a nonim-
migrant visa that allows
US companies to employ
foreign workers in speciali-
ty occupations that require
theoretical or technical ex-
pertise. Technology compa-
nies depend on it to hire tens
of thousands of employees
each year from countries
like India and China. The
initial registration period
for the most sought-after
H-1B visas for foreign guest
workers for fiscal 2025 clos-
es at 12 noon Eastern Time
(9:30 pm IST) on March 22,
the US Citizenship and Im-
migration Services (USCIS)
said on Monday.
Omicron of Greater Noida.
As per officials, the flat
registry process is being
expedited by establishing
camps within the societies,
ensuring residents face
minimal inconvenience.
Approximately, 20 flat
registrations are being
completed each day, as
confirmed by officials on
Tuesday. Soumya Srivas-
tava, OSD and ACEO of
Greater Noida Authority,
affirms that these camps
have been organised to
grant ownership rights to
flat buyers in both societ-
ies. “The process of reg-
MSMEs and SMEs. He men-
tioned that MSMEs are quite
important for any state as
they are the potential em-
ployment providers and con-
tributes to more than half of
the nation’s export growth.
He also briefed the mem-
bers of the various schemes
Bharat Tex 2024 defines the next
chapter for India's Textile landscape
OUR CORRESPONDENT
NEW DELHI: Inspired by
Prime Minister, Shri Nar-
endra Modi's 5F’s vision,
BHARAT TEX 2024 has
emerged as a global textile
mega-event, garnering an
unprecedented response
from both Indian and global
players.
The four-day affair, con-
cluding on Thursday, Febru-
ary 29, 2024 successfully
showcased India’s prowess
and strategic growth road-
map in the Textile industry.
The event facilitated collab-
oration among multilateral
organizations, global tex-
tile think tanks, and NGOs,
bringing international per-
spectives on India's journey
towards becoming a Global
Textiles Hub.
The event witnessed over
a lakh visitor combined
both Bharat Mandapam &
Yashobhoomi, bringing the
entire value chain under
one roof. Garnering global
Get upto 90% Assured Buyback on
HONOR X9b with the HONOR Protect Plan
OUR CORRESPONDENT
NEW DELHI: HONOR has in-
troduced the HONOR Protect
Plan, powered by Onsitego
with the newly launched
X9b, for the Indian market
to provide eXtra assurance
and peace of mind to its
consumers. The scheme,
valued at Rs 2,999, is avail-
able absolutely free of cost
for HONOR X9b customers,
and is aimed at fostering
long-term consumer trust in
the brand and underscores
the company’s focus on pro-
moting reliability for its prod-
ucts. It includes interesting
REC BOARD OKAYS THIRD INTERIM DIVIDEND OF RS 3.5 PER SHARE
NEW DELHI: State-owned REC’s board on Tuesday approved a third interim dividend of Rs
4.5 per share with face value of Rs 10 each for 2023-24. Earlier, the company has already
announced two interim dividends, totalling Rs 6.5 per share for the current fiscal. A regu-
latory filing stated that the board, in its meeting held on Tuesday, approved the declaration
of interim dividend at the rate of Rs 4.50 per equity share of Rs 10 each for the FY 2023-24.
istration is underway and
will proceed continuously.
Residents of both societies
will no longer have to wait,”
said Srivastava.
Officials informed that
845 buyers from the Se-
nior Citizen Society, who
had purchased flats 25
years ago but were unable
to secure ownership rights
due to lack of registration,
will be benefitted.
Approximately 800 flat
buyers from the Migsun Ul-
timo Society in Sector Omi-
cron also find themselves
in a similar situation. “I pur-
chased the flat around 21
and incentives of the UP gov-
ernment to strengthen the
MSME and SME units. He
added that ODOP scheme
has immensely benefitted
the handicraft traders and is
also enhancing the innova-
tive skills of the artisans. He
also talked about the textile
acclaim for its emphasis
on sustainable textiles,
the exhibition boasted the
participation of more than
3,500 exhibitors and 3,000
buyers from over a hundred
nations.
The marquee event re-
sulted in the signing of over
63 MoUs and witnessed
100 product launches, 9
book launches, 70 knowl-
edge sessions with 112
international speakers,
50 business meetings, 25
capacity-building master-
classes & thematic fashion
shows.
Renowned trend forecast-
offerings like a one-time
free screen replacement
within six months of pur-
chase in case of a damaged
screen. Consumers will only
be charged a nominal of Rs.
749 as claim processing fee.
Additionally, if a customer
does not like the X9b after
purchasing it, the brand is
giving an option of a 30-day
Assured Buy Back option up
to 90% of the invoice value
(ex GST). However, certain
deductions or exclusions
apply to ensure the integrity
of the redeemed devices.
Phones with broken or dam-
aged bodies or screens will
Lucknow, Thursday, 21 March 2024
years ago while I was still
in service. Until now, the
registration process had
been stalled, and we had
lost all hopes.
However, thanks to the
efforts of government and
authorities, the opportuni-
ty has finally arisen, and
my flat is currently under-
going registration.
This is a big day for
me,” expressed Rajendra
Prasad Sinha (65), a res-
ident of the Senior Citi-
zen Society, extending his
heartfelt gratitude to Ut-
tar Pradesh Chief Minister
Yogi Adityanath, IDC Manoj
policy and textile park, re-
cently introduced by the gov-
ernment to boost the textile
industry in the state.
Speaking at the session,
Mr Yawer Ali Shah, Con-
venor, CII MSME Panel &
Co-Founder & CEO AMA
Herbal Laboratories Pvt Ltd
mentioned that, the ODOP
has revolutionised the state’s
MSME sector. It has not only
increased the exports of the
state manifolds but has also
fetched global recognition to
UP’s art and craft. He added
that we need to add incuba-
tion centres to incubate the
entrepreneurs of the chang-
ing business ecosystem in
terms of technology, innova-
tion and use of AI in business
operations.
ing agencies WGSN and Vi-
sion NXT collaborated with
the show, presenting their
latest trend forecasts, pro-
viding valuable insights into
the future of fashion and
textile design.
WGSN highlighted up-
coming color trends, fabric
textures, prints, and pat-
terns expected to dominate
the industry in the coming
seasons. While VisionNxt
curated trend stories and
design narratives inspired
by global cultural influenc-
es, art movements adapt-
ed to the Indian consumer
market and behavior.
not be accepted for redemp-
tion. Additional deductions
include 1500 for missing
original accessories, 20%
for major scratches or dents,
15% for minor scratches or
dents, and 1000 for the ab-
sence of the original box at
the time of redemption.
With this comprehensive
package, the company is
also providing 6 months Ex-
tended Warranty Cover and
doorstep pickup and deliv-
ery for repairs from Brand
Authorized Service Centers
guaranteeing the use of gen-
uine components, up to 18
months.
Kumar Singh, Greater Noi-
da Authority CEO NG Ravi
Kumar, and representa-
tives of the Senior Citizen
Society.
“The first registry for this
society has been complet-
ed in my name. I am very
happy.
Although I have been
residing in the flat for two
years, the absence of a
registry made it feel like it
wasn’t truly ours.
However, following the
registration, we feel as
if we have just bought it
today,” said Monica Rai, Society. Meanwhile, the
resident of Migsun Ultimo Greater Noida Authority
Govt mulling changes in
SARFAESI and DRT laws
OUR CORRESPONDENT
NEW DELHI: To speed up the debt recovery process, the Fi-
nance Ministry has set up a panel to suggest amendments
to the SARFAESI and DRT Acts, including a provision for
granting legal sanctity to e-notices to debtors, sources said.
The committee headed by an Additional Secretary held sev-
eral meetings, and discussions are in the advanced stage in
this regard, sources said. Last month, the Finance Ministry
held extensive deliberations with the top brass of banks and
Debt Recovery Tribunals (DRTs) to enhance the efficacy of
DRTs for expeditious recovery of debts.
“We have formed
a committee led
by the Additional
Secretary to decide
on relevant amend-
ments. The aim is
to make the debt re-
covery process less
tedious and more ef-
fective. We are also
planning to introduce a provision to provide legal sanctity
to e-notices. “So that an SMS and e-mails sent by banks
can be considered as notice. This will help in fasttracking
the recovery of debt,” sources said. The Debt Recovery Tri-
bunals (DRTs) Act was enacted in 1993 to provide a legal
framework for the expeditious adjudication and recovery
of debts due to banks and financial institutions. However,
the efficacy of this legislation in expediting debt recovery
proved to be limited.
As a result, the Securitisation and Reconstruction of
Financial Assets and Enforcement of Security Interest
(SARFAESI) Act 2002 was enacted to address these short-
comings and provide a more robust framework for debt
recovery. The government has undertaken several amend-
ments to the DRT Act and the SARFAESI Act over the years.
The last changes in the law were made in 2016, when the
government had moved amendments to the SARFAESI Act,
and the Debt Recovery Tribunal (DRT) Act in Parliament to
make debt recovery more effective.
The Enforcement of Security Interest and Recovery of
Debts Laws and Miscellaneous Provisions (Amendment)
Act, 2016 amended the Securitisation and Reconstruction
of Financial Assets and Enforcement of Security Interest
Act, 2002, and the Recovery of Debts due to Banks and Fi-
nancial Institutions Act, 1993, the Indian Stamp Act, 1899
and the Depositories Act, 1996.
Hindalco Renukoot honors
Sanitation workers for
Values month celebration
OUR CORRESPONDENT
RENUKOOT: On the commemoration of the 19th Values
Month at Hindalco Renukoot, sanitation workers received
accolades for their invaluable contribution to the institu-
tion's cleanliness. Mr. N. Nagesh, COO of Hindalco Clus-
ter, graced the event as the chief guest, emphasizing the
workers' pivotal role in maintaining exemplary cleanliness
standards across the workplace, plant, and colony.
Expressing gratitude, Mr. Nagesh highlighted the sig-
nificance of the sanitation workers as essential partners
and praised their dedication, particularly their attention to
safety measures. He urged everyone to uphold the core
values of the Aditya Birla Group - Integrity, Commitment,
Passion, Seamlessness, and Speed - in all endeavors.
Adding to the sentiment, Mr. Jasbir Singh, HR Head of
Hindalco Cluster, emphasized the familial bond within Hin-
dalco Renukoot, emphasizing that values are ingrained
from family and that the institution is no exception. He
commended the workers for their role in perpetuating
these values to future generations, expressing hope for
their continued dedication in the years ahead.
3
is set to carry out nearly ous residential projects in
10,000 registries for vari- the coming months.
InBrief
FMC INDIA LAUNCHES ARC™ FARM INTELLIGENCE
PLATFORM TO HELP FARMERS OPTIMIZE CROP YIELD
LUCKNOW: FMC India, an agricultural sciences compa-
ny, has launched its innovative precision agriculture plat-
form Arc™ farm intelligence in India. The new offering is
aimed at encouraging smarter agricultural practices for
farmers, advisers and channel partners. By combining
real-time data and predictive modelling, Arc™ farm intel-
ligence assists farmers in monitoring field conditions
and pest pressure. Farmers can then ensure precise
application of the recommended crop care products to
optimize yield and achieve higher returns on investment.
Mr. Ravi Annavarapu, President, FMC India and South-
West Asia said, “Farmers encounter numerous challeng-
es in the field on a daily basis while navigating today's
complex and evolving agricultural landscape. Arc™ farm
intelligence, a one-stop solution for farmers, will support
them in making informed decisions based on real-time
field insights for more effective and efficient crop care,
thus providing them with enhanced precision, productiv-
ity and profitability. We are confident that farmers will
gain a significant advantage and stay ahead with these
technology-driven services.”
SNAPCHAT'S 'AR PICHKARI' LENS TAKES HOLI TO
THE NEXT LEVEL
LUCKNOW: Adding an extra splash of color to the coun-
try’s vibrant Holi celebrations, Snapchat launches a unique
Holi-themed AR Lens, AR Pichkari. The lens offers Indian
Snapchatters an immersive and unique way to celebrate
Holi by splashing over one lakh colors, making it a first-
of-its-kind Lens by Snapchat. Turning their phones into
an AR Pichkari, Snapchatters will
be able to splash colorful water on
their friends using the back camera
– bringing the joy of Holi celebra-
tion. For those who prefer keeping
things clean, this lens is the ulti-
mate colorful solution to join all the
fun, without any of the fuss. With
one lakh colors for Snapchatters
to play Holi with, this lens makes
one of the most vibrant additions
to Snap’s collection of festive lenses. Developed by Ro-
nin Labs, the experience begins with a countdown that
initiates the flow of water which can be controlled with
the user's phone movements. Snapchatters can follow
their friends with the camera to drench them in a splash
of vibrant colors. As the timer runs out, a joyful "Holi Hai!!"
message appears on the screen – showering the festive
spirit of Holi into the lives of millions of Snapchatters.
YES BANK PARTNERS WITH INDIAN OLYMPIC
ASSOCIATION AS OFFICIAL BANKING PARTNER
LUCKNOW: YES BANK is excited to announce its partner-
ship with the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) as the Offi-
cial Banking Partner for Team India at the Paris Olympics
2024. This significant collaboration was unveiled during a
special event at YES BANK’s Mumbai headquarters. The
announcement saw the presence of YES BANK’s top ex-
ecutives including Mr. Prashant Kumar, Managing Direc-
tor and CEO; Mr. Rajan Pental, Executive Director; along
with notable members of the IOA - Dr. P.T. Usha, Presi-
dent, IOA and Honourable Member of Parliament, Rajya
Sabha; Shri Raghuram Iyer, CEO, IOA; Ms. Mary Kom,
Chairperson, Athletes Commission and London Olympics
2012 Bronze Medalist; and Paris bound Indian Olympic
athletes Ms. Manu Bhaker, Ms. Rajeshwari Ria Kumari,
Ms. Parveen Hooda and Mr. Dhiraj Bommadevara. This
partnership aims to demonstrate the strength an eco-
system plays in nurturing Olympic talent. In line with this,
YES BANK launched the campaign ‘Milkar Jitayenge’,
highlighting the shared effort behind every victory. YES
BANK's brand philosophy, 'Life Ko Banao Rich', aligns with
this partnership, emphasising life’s richness in experienc-
es and memories. As our athletes compete globally, their
achievements contribute to our national memory and
pride, creating a legacy of shared experiences.
ATC TO CONVERT RS 1,440 CRORE VODAFONE
IDEA DEBT BONDS INTO EQUITY
NEW DELHI: Mobile tower company ATC has opted for
converting Rs 1,440 crore worth of debt bonds issued
by Vodafone Idea into equity, a regulatory filing said on
Tuesday. Loss-making Vodafone Idea (VIL) had issued
Rs 1,600 crore worth of optionally convertible deben-
tures (OCDs) to ATC Telecom Infrastructure that were
convertible into equity shares at a conversion price of
Rs 10 per equity on October 21, 2022, against payments
owed to the mobile tower company. "We wish to inform
you that in accordance with the terms of the OCDs, ATC
has vide its notice dated 18 March 2024 requested for
conversion of 14,400 (Fourteen Thousand and Four
Hundred only) OCDs into 144,00,00,000 (One Hundred
and Forty Four Crore) fully paid-up Equity Shares.
4 Lucknow, Thursday, 21 March 2024
CAA: SC issues notice to Centre,
seeks response within three weeks
DECLINES TO SUSPEND RULES THAT WOULD ENFORCE THE CAA
OUR CORRESPONDENT
NEW DELHI: The Supreme
Court on Tuesday asked the
Centre to reply within three
weeks to applications that
ask for a stay on the en-
forcement of the Citizenship
(Amendment) Rules, 2024
until the court resolves the
petitions that question the
Constitutional validity of the
Citizenship (Amendment)
Act, 2019.
The matter is scheduled
for hearing on April 9. De-
spite requests from senior
advocates representing the
petitioners, the Supreme
Court declined to suspend
the Rules that would en-
force the CAA.
The Centre, on its part,
told the bench headed by
Chief Justice D Y Chandra-
chud that the CAA does not
take away the citizenship
of any person. The bench,
also comprising Justices J B
Pardiwala and Manoj Misra,
issued notice to the Centre
RUSSIA WILL EVACUATE
9,000 CHILDREN FROM
A BORDER REGION
TARGETED FROM
UKRAINIAN SIDE
MOSCOW: Russia plans to
evacuate about 9,000 chil-
dren from a border region
because it is being shelled
continuously from the
Ukrainian side, an official
said Tuesday. Kyiv’s forc-
es have increasingly been
striking at targets behind
the front line that in recent
months has barely shifted
after more than two years of
war. The children are to be
moved farther east, away
from the Ukraine border,
said Vyacheslev Gladkov,
the governor of Russia’s
Belgorod border region.
The announcement came
a day after Russian Presi-
dent Vladimir Putin said the
Kremlin wants to create a
buffer zone to help protect
border regions from long-
range Ukrainian strikes and
crossborder raids. Ukraine
has increasingly used its
long-range firepower to hit
oil refineries and depots
deep inside Russia and has
sought to unsettle the Rus-
sian border regions, putting
political pressure on Putin.
PRESIDENTIAL
IMMUNITY INVOKED
FOR PAK PREZ
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan
President Asif Ali Zardari’s
counsels on Tuesday in-
voked presidential immu-
nity for him in a corruption
case, commonly known as
the Park Lane reference,
in which he is accused
of influencing authorities
to release loans to front
companies. Judge Nasir
Javed Rana of an Islam-
abad-based accountabili-
ty court presided over the
hearing in the Park Lane
case. The case is based on
the allegation that Zardari
influenced relevant author-
ities during his previous
term as the president - from
2008 to 2013 - to release
loans for his front compa-
nies. During the hearing,
Zardari’s lawyers contend-
ed that after becoming the
president, he enjoyed pres-
idential immunity against
court cases, and any pro-
ceedings against him could
not continue. Zardari, his
sister and several of their al-
leged business associates
were being probed as part
of the 2015 case involving
fake accounts.
on the 20 applications that
request a stay on the Rules’
enforcement, with a return-
able period of three weeks.
The bench stated that they
are not expressing any ini-
tial view and that they need
to hear both the petition-
ers and the other side. On
March 11, the Centre initi-
ated the enforcement of the
Citizenship (Amendment)
Act, 2019, by notifying the
relevant rules. The act was
passed by Parliament four
years ago to expedite Indian
citizenship for undocument-
ed non-Muslim migrants
from Pakistan, Bangladesh,
PM highlights BJP’s vision in
S.India, targets political rivals
OUR CORRESPONDENT
CHENNAI: Prime Minister
Narendra Modi concluded
his extensive tour of South
India on Tuesday, which in-
cluded a roadshow in Kerala
and a public rally in Tamil
Nadu. It marked the BJP’s
ongoing efforts to expand its
influence in the south, with
PM Modi making a compel-
ling case for his party ahead
of the upcoming Lok Sabha
elections. In the past five
days, Modi traversed the
southern region, conduct-
ing roadshows, vigorously
campaigning for his party,
and robustly challenging his
opponents, particularly the
incumbent DMK in Tamil
Nadu and the BRS in Telan-
gana. He also intensified his
criticism of the Opposition
bloc over Congress lead-
er Rahul Gandhi’s ‘Shakti’
comment.
Modi has been a frequent
visitor to various southern
locations over the past few
months, crisscrossing the
region in an attempt to
strengthen the BJP’s pres-
ence. His visits often com-
bined official duties with
trips to significant Hindu re-
ligious sites. Despite these
efforts, the BJP has strug-
gled to make significant
electoral gains in the region,
Cabinet Min Pashupati Paras resigns alleging ‘injustice’
OUR CORRESPONDENT
NEW DELHI: A day after the
BJP-led NDA finalised the
seat-sharing deal in Bihar
with the allies, Union minis-
ter Pashupati Kumar Paras
resigned on Tuesday, accus-
ing the BJP of doing “injus-
tice” with his Rashtriya Lok
Janshakti Party.
His party failed to get any
seat for his LJP faction from
the BJP as the Lotus party
preferred to go with Chirag
Paswan whom it saw as the
real inheritor of the legacy of
his father late Ram Vilas Pas-
wan.
Chirag Paswan-led LJP
(Ram Vilas) was allotted
five seats in the coming Lok
Sabha elections. Chirag Pas-
wan is MP from Jamui. Paras
made the announcement at
and Afghanistan who arrived
in India before December
31, 2014. During Tuesday’s
hearing, Solicitor General
Tushar Mehta, representing
the Centre, mentioned that
there are over 230 petitions
on the matter, and 20 ap-
plications requesting a stay
have been filed since the
rules were enforced.
Senior advocate Indira
Jaising, representing the
petitioners, suggested that
the Centre should declare
that no one will be grant-
ed citizenship while the
hearing is pending. Senior
advocate Kapil Sibal, also
with the exception of Karna-
taka. Kerala and Tamil Nadu
have resisted the national
trend, remaining aloof from
the BJP, which has other-
wise seen a resurgence in
the 2014 and 2019 polls.
PM Modi’s speeches of-
ten focused on corruption,
dynastic politics, and graft,
targeting the Congress and
other constituents of the Op-
position bloc. He frequently
referred to Gandhi’s ‘Shakti’
comment, which also elicit-
ed a strong response from
him during his public rallies.
The BJP’s intentions were
further highlighted by road-
shows in smaller cities like
Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu
and Palakkad in Kerala,
aiming to attract more vot-
ers and position the BJP as
the only alternative to the
current major parties for
growth-oriented develop-
ment.
In Kerala, Modi confident-
ly predicted the “blossom-
ing of the lotus” in the state,
a press conference, making
only brief remarks about his
resignation and did not elab-
orate about his future plans.
The only ally in the Union
Cabinet headed by PM Modi,
he called the Prime Minister
a big leader.
The RLJP president said
he was thankful to PM Modi
before expressing his dis-
pleasure over the treatment
representing the petitioners,
expressed concern that if
the citizenship process be-
gins and someone obtains
citizenship, it would be im-
possible to reverse it for
several reasons, rendering
these petitions fruitless.
After the bench an-
nounced that the matter
would be heard on April 9,
Jaising requested that in
the meantime, the Centre
should declare that they
will not grant citizenship to
anyone. One of the counsel
brought up the issue of the
National Register of Citizens
(NRC) in Assam and men-
tioned that applications for
granting citizenship to non-
Muslims, previously exclud-
ed from it, can now be pro-
cessed under the CAA.
At the end of Tuesday’s
hearing, Jaising insisted
that the court could state
that any citizenship granted
according to these rules will
be subject to the outcome of
this case. “They don’t even
which is currently domi-
nated by the Congress and
Left. In Tamil Nadu, he con-
sistently portrayed the DMK
as a threat to the state’s
future, accusing it of being
anti-woman and corrupt.
He also referred to the late
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J
Jayalalithaa of the AIADMK,
asserting that her treatment
by the DMK demonstrated
their attitude towards wom-
en, which he claimed was
contributing to the increas-
ing crimes against women
in the state. Modi stated in
Salem that the DMK is be-
coming increasingly anxious
due to the growing support
for the BJP in Tamil Nadu.
Despite the AIADMK sev-
ering ties with the BJP last
year, Modi refrained from
criticising the main Opposi-
tion party in Tamil Nadu. His
criticism of Congress leader
Rahul Gandhi for his ‘Shakti’
comments at a Mumbai ral-
ly was aimed at appealing to
female voters. He declared
meted out to him. Paras said
he had served the National
Democratic Alliance with
honesty and loyalty but re-
ceived injustice.
“Injustice has been meted
out to my party and espe-
cially me,” he said. His par-
ty’s spokesperson Shravan
Agarwal said its leaders will
meet soon to decide its next
course of action but made it
have the infrastructure (for
granting citizenship under
the new rules) in place,” the
bench observed.
With the rules being un-
veiled on March 11, just
before the announcement
of the Lok Sabha elections,
the Modi government began
the process of granting Indi-
an citizenship to persecuted
non-Muslim migrants — Hin-
dus, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists,
Parsis, and Christians —
from Pakistan, Afghanistan,
and Bangladesh.
The rules were enforced
immediately, as per a ga-
zette notification. The con-
troversial CAA had ignited
protests in various parts of
the country in late 2019 and
early 2020 due to alleged
discriminatory provisions.
While refusing to suspend
the law’s operation, the Su-
preme Court had issued
notices to the Centre on
December 18, 2019, on the
pleas challenging the validi-
ty of the CAA.
that the upcoming elections
would be a contest between
those who seek to destroy
‘Shakti’ (women) and those
who revere it. In the midst
of this intense election cam-
paign, the BJP’s Tamil Nadu
unit appeared to have out-
manoeuvred the AIADMK
by securing a seat-sharing
agreement with the Pattali
Makkal Katchi (PMK), led by
Dr S Ramadoss.
The agreement was
signed on Tuesday morn-
ing, just hours before Modi’s
event in Salem. There were
rumours in political circles
that the AIADMK had final-
ised an alliance with the
PMK, which was part of the
NDA in the 2014 and 2019
elections. This prompted
Modi to announce that the
NDA has gained new mo-
mentum, as he praised Ra-
madoss’s seniority and ex-
perience.
The PMK, backed by the
Vanniyar community, has
considerable influence in
some of the state’s northern
districts. Modi is expected to
make additional visits to the
region, as Assembly elec-
tions are also scheduled in
Andhra Pradesh, where the
BJP is allied with the TDP
and Janasena, led by former
Chief Minister N Chandraba-
bu Naidu.
clear that Paras will contest
elections.
Though Paras enjoyed the
support of five of the six Lok
Sabha MPs of the LJP un-
til sometime back, none of
them accompanied him at
the press conference. Some
of them, sources said, are on
a hunt for striking deals with
other parties, including the
one headed by his estranged
nephew Chirag Paswan, to
contest the upcoming polls.
Paras may also explore the
possibility of joining hands
with the opposition alliance
led by Rashtriya Janata Dal
(RJD) in Bihar to fight against
his nephew in the Hajipur
seat. He represents Hajipur
in the outgoing Lok Sabha
and Paswan has also indicat-
ed that he will be contesting
from the seat.
WORLD AIR QUALITY REPORT 2023
‘Delhi world’s most polluted
capital city, India ranks third’
OUR CORRESPONDENT
NEW DELHI: Begusarai, a
city in Bihar, has been iden-
tified as the metropolitan
area with the highest pol-
lution levels globally, while
Delhi, the capital city of In-
dia, has the worst air quality
among all capital cities, as
per a recent report.
With an average annu-
al PM2.5 concentration of
54.4 micrograms per cubic
metre, India had the third
worst air quality out of 134
countries in 2023 after Ban-
gladesh (79.9 micrograms
per cubic metre) and Paki-
stan (73.7 micrograms per
cubic metre), according to
the World Air Quality Report
2023 by Swiss organisation
IQAir.
This was a significant in-
crease from 2022, when
India was the eighth most
polluted country with an av-
erage PM2.5 concentration
of 53.3 micrograms per cu-
bic metre.
Begusarai topped the list
of the most polluted met-
ropolitan areas worldwide
with an average PM2.5 con-
centration of 118.9 micro-
grams per cubic metre, a
stark contrast to 2022 when
it was not even included
in the rankings. Delhi’s air
quality deteriorated further
from 89.1 micrograms per
cubic metre in 2022 to 92.7
micrograms per cubic metre
Congress’s manifesto to focus on
‘Paanch Nyay’, ‘Pachees Guarantee’
OUR CORRESPONDENT
NEW DELHI: The Congress
said its manifesto for the Lok
Sabha polls would focus on
“Paanch Nyay” and “Pachees
Guarantee”, as the party on
Tuesday resolved to take its
promises to the people with
a “ghar ghar guarantee”
mantra. It claimed the BJP’s
‘guarantees’ would meet the
same fate as the ‘India Shin-
ing’ slogan of 2004.
The Congress Working Com-
mittee (CWC), the party’s top
decision-making body, dis-
cussed the manifesto for Lok
Sabha polls for over three
hours and decided to reach
out to every household with
its five “Nyay” guarantees for
the youth, women, workers,
farmers and the marginal-
ised sections. Sources in the
party said the manifesto also
includes the promise of im-
plementing the old pension
scheme (OPS) across the
country and a law to ensure
the independence of consti-
tutional institutions and stop
“misuse” of agencies. “These
five guarantees are going to
be a game-changer in this
election,” party leader K C
Venugopal said. “The CWC
has prepared a roadmap for
taking the party’s guarantees
to the grassroots, highlight-
Lucknow News (English Daily)
in 2023, earning it the dubi-
ous distinction of being the
most polluted capital city in
the world for the fourth con-
secutive year since 2018.
The report estimates that
1.36 billion people in India
are exposed to PM2.5 con-
centrations that exceed the
World Health Organisation’s
(WHO) recommended annu-
al guideline level of 5 micro-
grams per cubic metre. Fur-
thermore, 96 per cent of the
Indian population, or 1.33
billion people, experience
PM2.5 levels more than
seven times the WHO an-
nual PM2.5 guideline. Over
66 per cent of Indian cities
reported annual averages
greater than 35 micrograms
per cubic metre, reflecting
this trend at the city level.
The data for this report was
compiled from over 30,000
regulatory air quality moni-
toring stations and low-cost
air quality sensors world-
wide, operated by various
research institutions, gov-
ernmental bodies, universi-
ing the issues concerning the
youth, poor, women, workers
and farmers,” he said and
derided BJP’s “guarantees”
as “jumlas” (rhetoric) and a
“bunch of lies”.
In his address at the meet-
ing, Congress President
Mallikarjun Kharge asserted
whatever has been prom-
ised in the manifesto, will
be strictly implemented. Ad-
dressing a press conference
after the meeting, Venugopal
and Jairam Ramesh said the
CWC has authorised Kharge
to give final approval to the
party’s manifesto for the Lok
Sabha polls and decide a
date for its release.
Venugopal said the Con-
gress party is fully prepared
for Lok Sabha polls and will
launch a massive campaign
“to take its guarantees to
every household across
the country in the next few
ties, educational facilities,
non-profit organisations, pri-
vate companies, and citizen
scientists. The 2022 World
Air Quality Report included
data from 7,323 locations in
131 countries, regions, and
territories.
In 2023, this expanded
to include 7,812 locations
in 134 countries, regions,
and territories. Air pollution,
the leading environmental
threat to human health, is
estimated to cause one in
every nine deaths world-
wide. According to the WHO,
it is responsible for approxi-
mately seven million prema-
ture deaths globally each
year. Exposure to PM2.5 air
pollution can lead to and
worsen numerous health
conditions, including asth-
ma, cancer, stroke, and lung
disease. Elevated levels of
fine particles can also im-
pair cognitive development
in children, contribute to
mental health issues, and
complicate existing illness-
es such as diabetes.
days”. Kharge and former
party chiefs Sonia Gandhi
and Rahul Gandhi attended
the meeting. Other senior
leaders, including Ambika
Soni, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra,
P Chidambaram, Digvijaya
Singh, Ajay Maken and Ku-
mari Selja, were also present
at the crucial meeting, where
Chidambaram read out the
key elements of the draft
party manifesto.
Chidambaram chairs the
manifesto committee of the
party, which has already pre-
sented a copy of the draft
document to the CWC for its
nod. The party is fighting the
elections on the issue of ‘five
nyay’ (justices) — ‘Bhagidari
Nyay’, ‘Kisan Nyay’, ‘Nari
Nyay’, ‘Shramik Nyay’ and
‘Yuva Nyay’ — giving 25
guarantees, five under each
category, that have been
announced by the Congress
president and Rahul Gandhi
Under the “Yuva Nyay”, the
party has promised “Bharti
Bharosa”.
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